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Fallen Firefighters’ Group Aiding Ariz. Families

Smoke is seen while emanating from the grounds of a private palm oil concession company, formerly a peatland forest area, on June 29, 2013 in the Kampar district (Riau province), on Sumatra island. Indonesia said on June 29, that fires across giant rainforests which caused Southeast Asia's worst air pollution crisis in years had been greatly reduced and were coming under control. Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa gave the assessment after briefing his counterparts from neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia, the two countries most affected by the toxic smoke. AFP PHOTO / ROMEO GACADPHOTO / ROMEO GACAD

EMMITSBURG, Md. (AP) — The executive director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is traveling to Arizona to support the families of the 19 firefighters who were killed while battling a wildfire.

Ronald Siarnicki tells The Frederick News-Post that the firefighter deaths have been “tough for all of us.” He says the foundation immediately dispatched employees upon learning of Sunday’s deaths. A Maryland-based coordinator for the foundation left for Arizona on Monday, and Siarnicki was scheduled to depart on Wednesday.

The Emmitsburg-based foundation is collecting donations that will be used to help relatives and colleagues of the firefighters who were killed.

The foundation says 67 firefighters have died in the line of duty this year, including the 19 in Airzona. Seventy-three firefighters perished while on duty last year.
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Information from: The Frederick (Md.) News-Post, http://www.fredericknewspost.com